Underpressing apparatus and method for underpressing garment



M. MUTOLESE 3,052,389 UNDERPRESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FORUNDERPRESSING GARMENT Sept. 4, 1962 Filed Aug. 19, 1959 IN V EN TORMICHAEL MUTOLESE ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1%62 UNDERPRESSTNG AlPARATUSAND METHOD FUR UNBERPRESSING GARMENT Michael Mutolese, Upper Darby, Pm,assignor to John G. Weingarten, lnc, Haverford, Pa, a corporation ofPennsylvania Filed Aug. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 834,635

tilairns. (till. 223-57) The present invention is directed to anunderpressing apparatus and to a method for underpressing a garment.

In the manufacture of jackets and coats, apparatus has been developedfor overpressing the upper part of the arm hole seam where the sleeve isattached. Thus, in my United States Letters Patent 2,800,260 I discloseapparatus in which the same may be accomplished.

However, up until the present invention, there has been no machinedeveloped for effecting underpressing of the upper part of the arm holeseam where the sleeve is attached. At the present time, theunderpressing of the upper part of the arm hole seam where the sleeve isattached is effected by hand ironing.

Hand ironing for underpressing the upper part of the arm hole seam wherethe sleeve is attached has proved to be unsatisfactory. Thus, such handironing requires a relatively long length of time, and requires theservices of a highly skilled operator. Most seriously, any error in thehand ironing will drastically affect the finished coat or jacket, as byscorching the garment and/or stretching and/or distorting it. Thus, poorhand ironing of the upper portion of the arm hole seam is prone toresult in the jacket or coat being relegated to Seconds or an inferiorgrade of garment.

This invention has as an object the provision of an underpressingapparatus which will enable the upper portion of the arm hole seam wherethe sleeve is attached to be underpressed.

This invention has as yet another object the provision of underpressingapparatus which will enable the upper portion of the arm hole seam to bepressed in one operation.

This invention has as yet a further object the provision ofunderpressing apparatus which will enable a relatively unskilledoperator to achieve a high level of quality underpressing.

This invention has as a still further object the provision ofunderpressing apparatus which will produce underpressing garments ofconsistent underpressed uniformity.

This invention has as still a further object the provision of anunderpressing machine in which the possibility of scorching, charring orinjuring even the more delicate fabrics during the underpressing of theupper portion of the arm hole is minimized.

This invention has as a still further object the provision of a novelunderprcssing method in which underpressing is achieved in a singleoperation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in thedrawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer tolike parts:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the underpressing apparatus of thepresent invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the buck portion of theunderpressing apparatus of the present invention with a fragmentaryportion of a coat or jacket, namely the arm-hole portion thereof,operatively secured in position upon the buck.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the buck of the apparatus of the presentinvention with its covering removed.

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational View of the buck of the apparatus of thepresent invention taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional and perspective view of the buck of theapparatus of the present invention.

The underpressing apparatus of the present invention is designatedgenerally as 10. Such underpressing apparatus it includes the buck 12over which the garment 14- is draped, and the pressing head to. Thepressing head 16 is pivotally mounted on the pivot 18, and is movableinto and out of engagement with the buck 12. Such movement of thepressing head 16 may be accomplished by the hand lever 2% or by the footpedal 22. The foot pedal 22 may be linked to the pressing head 16 byconventional linkage (not shown) so that upon the lowering of the footpedal 22 the pressing head 16 is drawn downwardly about the buck 12.

The buck 12 is provided with a buck covering 24 of linen or the likewhich is tautly stretched over the buck 12, so that such buck covering24 assumes the contour and shape of the buck 12. In FIGURES l and 2, thebuck 12 is shown in the form in which it is used, namely provided withthe buck covering 24, While in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 the buck covering 24is removed in, order that the shape of the buck 12 may be clearlyascertained.

The present invention resides in a particular construction of the buckl2 and its cooperation with the pressing head 16, which together permitunderpressing of the upper portion of the sleeve seam to be achieved.Since a wide variety of heating means, steam control means, etc. may beutilized in the apparatus of the present invention, all of which arewell known to those skilled in this art, no description will be madethereof.

The buck 12 is preferably formed as a. metal casting having a vacuumchamber 2 5 and a steam chamber 28. Thus, steam may be inserted into thesteam chamber 23 for heating the buck 12. A vacuum may be pulled throughthe vacuum chamber 26 whereby liquid contained on garments above thebuck 12 may be withrawn.

The buck 12 is provided with a substantially fiat upper surface 39. Aplurality of openings 32 are provided in the flat upper surface 30 sothat the same is in communication with the vacuum chamber 26.

As seen particularly from FIGURES 3 and 5 the substantially flat uppersurface 34 extends from the front face 34 to the rear portion 36. Themaximum width of the flat upper surface St is disposed intermediate suchfront face 34 and rear portion 36, along the dotted line 38 shown inFIGURE 3. The shape of the buck l2 intermediate the maximum widthportion 38 and the rear portion 36 is relatively immaterial, since thisportion of the buck 12 is used solely for supporting the coat which isbeing underpressed.

The shape of the front portion of the buck l2 intermediate the maximumwidth portion 38 and the front face 34 is of critical significance,since the same determines the efficacy of the underpressing apparatus14) of the present invention.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen thatthe front face 34 is defined by arcuate side edges 40 and 42 and topedge 44. The arcuate side edges 40 and 42 are formed from a relativelysmall radius, while the arcuate top edge 4-4 is formed from a relativelylarge radius, and in fact one which is so much larger than the radiusused to form the arcuate side edges 40 and 42 that the top edge 44 isrelatively flat. Thus, the radius used to define the top edge 44 ispreferably at a least twice the length of the radius used to define thearcuate side edges 4% and 42.

From the top edge 4-4 to the substantially flat upper surface 35? thereis a slight degree of curvature, namely there is a curved surfacerunning along the top front edge intermediate the front face 34 and thesubstantially flat upper surface The arcuate side edges 49 and 4' aremirror images of each other, and are symmetrically spaced in respecttothe vertical center line of the buck 12. Such arcuate side edges 4%)and i2 flare outwardly from the front face 34 towards the maximum widthportion 38, as seen par ticularly in FiG-URE 4. Thus, the curved side srface d6 is presented intermediate the arcuate side edge 4* and themaximum width portion 38, and the curved side surface 43 is presentedintermediate the nrcuate side edge 42 and the maximum width portion 3%.

it will be seen from FIGURE 5 that the curved portion adjacent the topportion is of relatively small length Whereas the curved side surfaces36 and 4% extend for the full front portion of the buck 12.

The underside 5d of the pressing head 16 has a length measured fromfront to rear which is approximately equal to the length of the frontportion of the buck intermediate the front face 34- and the maximumWidth portion 33. The underside Stl of the pressing head 16 is contouredso as to meet with the top surface of the front portion of the buck i2,and with the surfaces 4-6 and 48 for a distance equal to an arcuateportion somewhat less than 99" on each of the arcuate side edges n? and42. Thus, were the underside 5t of the pressing head 16 to mate to theextent of more than 90 on me arcuate side edges 4b and 42, the garment14 would be pinched during the underpressing operation.

The operation of the underpressinn apparatus of the present invention isas follows:

The garment i4 is draped over the buck 12 in the manner shown in FIGURE2, with the shoulder seam 52 lying along the center line on the flatupper surface 39 of the buck 12 and with the top portion of the armholeseam 54 where the sleeve is attached lying on the flat upper surface Edin back of the small curved portion adjacent the top edge 44 and on thecurved side surfaces 46 and 4f Thus, the underside of the jacket ispresented for contact with the head 15 with the armhole substantiallydisposed over the front face 34 of the buck i2, and with the sleeve 55lying downwardly.

The pressing operation to achieve underpressing of the top portion ofthe arm-hole seam 54 is effected by bringing the pressing head 16downwardly onto the garment 14-. Underpressing of the entire top portionof the arm-hole seam 54 may be achieved in one operation.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

1 claim:

1. In a pressing machine comprising a buck, a pressing head, the outsideshape of a front portion of said buck being substantially symmetricalabout a vertical center line, a front face of said buck at said frontportion having mirror image arcuate side edges, said buck having a pointof maximum width adjacent said front face, the sides of said buck beingdefined by curved surfaces extending from said front face and taperingcontinuously to said point of maximum Width, said head having a Widthcorresponding to the width of the portion of said buck between saidfront face and said point of maximum Width, holes in said last mentionedportion of said buck for ermitting steam to pass therethrough, and meansmounting said head for movement toward and away from said last mentionedportion of said buck.

2. In a pressing machine comprising a buck mounted for cooperation witha portion of said buck, the outside shape of the front portion of saidbuck being substantially symmetrical about a vertical center line, afront face of said buck being spaced from and adjacent to anintermediate portion of said buck, said intermediate portion of saidbuck being a point of maximum width, said front face of said buck havingmirror image arouate side edges, each of said side edges being definedby an are having a first radius, said front face having a top arcuateedge whose are is defined by a second radius which is substantiallygreater than said first radius, the sides of said buck extending fromsaid front face being curved surfaces which taper continuously outwardlyfrom said front face to said point of maximum width on said buck, andthe width of said pressing head corresponding with the distance fromsaid front face to said point of maximum width.

3. in a pressing machine in accordance with claim 2 wherein saidpressing head is provided with a concave surface adapted to engage saidtop arcuate edge, said surface on said head being also adapted to engagesaid arcuate side edges for a distance less than ninety arcuate degrees.

4. In a. pressing machine in accordance with claim 3 in which therelatively large radius which defines the top arcuate edge of the frontface of the buck is substantially more than two times the length of theradius which defines the arcs of the side edges of the buck.

5. A buck for a pressing machine comprising a hollow body substantiallysymmetrical about a center line, said body having mirror image arcuateside edges at one end thereof, said body having a front face at said oneend, said front face being defined by arcuate side edges having a firstradius, said front face also being defined by a top arcuate edge havinga second radius, said second radius being at least twice as large assaid first radius, said buck having a point of maximum width adjacent tosaid front face, said body having curved surfaces extending from saidfront face to said point of maximum width, said curved surfaces taperingcontinuously outwardly from said front face, and the upper portion ofsaid buck between said front face and said point of maximum width havingholes therein for permitting steam to pass therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

